Article abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 3, 676 - 681 (2008)
Published online: 28 September 2008 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.280
Subject Categories: Nanomaterials | Structural properties | Surface patterning and imaging
Free-standing graphene at atomic resolution
Mhairi H. Gass1,4, Ursel Bangert2,4, Andrew L. Bleloch1, Peng Wang1, Rahul R. Nair2,3 & A. K. Geim3
Abstract
Research interest in graphene, a two-dimensional crystal consisting of a single atomic plane of carbon atoms, has been driven by its extraordinary properties, including charge carriers that mimic ultra-relativistic elementary particles. Moreover, graphene exhibits ballistic electron transport on the submicrometre scale, even at room temperature, which has allowed the demonstration of graphene-based field-effect transistors and the observation of a room-temperature quantum Hall effect. Here we confirm the presence of free-standing, single-layer graphene with directly interpretable atomic-resolution imaging combined with the spatially resolved study of both the 
* transition and the + 
plasmon. We also present atomic-scale observations of the morphology of free-standing graphene and explore the role of microstructural peculiarities that affect the stability of the sheets. We also follow the evolution and interaction of point defects and suggest a mechanism by which they form ring defects.
- SuperSTEM, STFC Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington WA4 4AD, UK
- School of Materials, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- Manchester Centre for Mesoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
- These authors contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Mhairi H. Gass1,4 e-mail: m.h.gass@liv.ac.uk
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Graphene Nanoelectronics goes flat outNature Nanotechnology News and Views (01 Aug 2008)
Graphene Buckle or breakNature Materials News and Views (01 Nov 2007)
See all 9 matches for News And ViewsRESEARCH
The DNA repair gene MBD4 (MED1) is mutated in human carcinomas with microsatellite instabilityNature Genetics Correspondence (01 Nov 1999)
Direct imaging of single-walled carbon nanotubes in cellsNature Nanotechnology Letter (01 Nov 2007)
See all 40 matches for Research
